Rarotonga

Fire

Rarotonga recovers after blaze

By Anna Buckley

I’irc on Rarotonga has caused more damage than two cyclones pul together according to one Cook Islands govern ment official.

Government buildings, including the

Prime Minister’s Department, depart ments of justice and Lands. Internal Affairs and Surveys, the historic court house, and the national telephone exchange were destroyed in.a dramatic lire in the capital on Sunday. Ma\ 10.

Arson i> suspected. The official cause ol the lire is still unknown. But Elder lulai Pere ol the Apostolic Church warned everyone to be on guard because “government buildings were the target this time, but yours or mine could be next “It is our fervent prayer that we all see and realise the seriousness of this lire burning holocaust and join with our Christian warriors in praying against this evil." he says.

I he lire follows an outburst of arson attacks over the Easter weekend in w hich the Seventh Day Adventist Church, shops and offices were burnt to the ground. A 17-year-old from the capital, who admitted responsibility for all but one ol the attacks is currently awaiting trial.

“It will take at leat six months for government to gel back to normal" says government .>poke*man fere Tangiiti.

He estimates damages worth S 7 million to government property. A safe with S2OOO cash and govcrnmen t documents was rescued by residents w ho Ibrmed a human chain. Records of births, deaths, marriages and land claims since 1987 have been lost, many confidential Cabi net files destroyed. 50.5 million of' equipment was lost from the Surveys

department alone.

Chief executive of Cook Islands Tele com Stuart Davies estimates losses at S 3 million. A temporary network connect ing 100 priority users was set up within days; but it will take at least three months for the country’s 3000 phone lines to be restored. ’ J he fire is now out* says Elder 7'utai Pere, ‘ but personal burnings by divine judgement of the person responsible...in the lake ol Satan and his Angels of Darkness will be forever and ever’. □